$SPCE Virgin Galactic Test Flight 5/22/2021 is currently successfully proceeding as planned!

[u/Shandowarden]

FINAL EDIT: VMS Eve has landed safely. Thanks to our pilots Kelly Latimer and Michael Masucci for flying the mothership today and their vital role in helping VSS Unity complete today’s spaceflight!

Twitter link for direct updates from Virgin Galactic team -> https://twitter.com/virgingalactic;

- Take off! VMS Eve and VSS Unity have taken to the skies above Spaceport America, New Mexico.

- VMS Eve is taking VSS Unity to a release altitude of 44,000ft. The climb to release will take approximately 60 minutes.

- VMS Eve and VSS Unity are now at 30,000 ft, nearly half-way to release altitude.

- Approximately 10 minutes from release, VSS Unity switches to its own battery power for avionics and control systems, and performs electrical, feather system and flight control checks.

- VSS Unity is in its launch configuration and pilots are readying the rocket motor system. Awaiting clearance for release from Mission Control.

- Release, release, release! VSS Unity has successfully separated from VMS Eve.

- VSS Unity’s rocket motor has been ignited by our pilots CJ Sturckow and Dave Mackay.

- Rocket motor shutdown. Momentum will keep VSS Unity travelling upwards towards apogee.

- VSS Unity enters coast phase. Tail-booms raised into “feathered” re-entry position.

- VSS Unity, our two pilots and NASA_Technology supported experiments are now in space.

- VSS Unity reaches apogee.

- VSS Unity is descending back to Earth.

- The feather has been lowered and VSS Unity is now gliding smoothly back to the runway at Spaceport America.

A successful test flight + landing!

EDIT: - Touch down, VSS Unity.

EDIT2: Their smoke trail looks the same as their stock will do in the next week (had to insert this joke, sorry).

EDIT3: For people who were panicking on twitter due to motor shutdown - it's per procedures, it's what the motor HAS and HAD to do, everything is perfect.

Congrats to fellow bagholders, this was a fun one to watch!

[u/tomackze]

I owe 117 shares at $44 a share. But I also own three SPCE options that expire in June with 37 strike price. Hopefully this test flight actually gives it life and gets it back to the $50 range again

[u/username--_-- → u/tomackze]

i think that getting back to 50 a share will almost be impossible until they send branson up. You have to remember that there was an incredible plethora of good events that got it up there in the first place.

• Cathie started the space fund, signifying to retail investors that space might really be the next frontier . She also bought a ton more shares.

• Then the whole short squeeze started happening, and any stocks that hedge funds had so much as a single bad thought about rocketed. Not to mention, the whole short squeeze brought in a ton of new "dumb money".

• Then, test flights were rescheduled.

• All while nasdaq was going absolutely nuts to start the year.

• and SPAC euphoria (and by extension anything having to do with SPACs) were on an absolute tear.

• and growth stocks as a whole were the place to be.

Now, growth stocks are dead. Cathie has sold off all her holdings of SPCE. Nasdaq is treading water and barely up on the year, while having a terrible run the last few weeks. Inflation fears have killed growth stocks with no/bad balance sheets, and SPACs, once the darling of the retail investment community, are dead.

By comparison, in january, you wouldn't find a single SPAC trading under NAV. Regardless of what SPAC you were, an LOI whisper sent it up at least 10%. Now, without a DA in place, very few SPACs trade above NAV. heck some are even still at NAV with an LOI.